A collection of short stories, articles, and poems intended to entertain, inform, and consider.

Monday, August 3, 2015

JESSIE TEMPLAR - DENISE'S DISTRESS

Denise opened her eyes and stretched her arms and legs out
in the King-sized bed. Her head ached. She drank too much wine at last night’s
dinner. She hadn’t noticed the new mirrored ceiling in Randall’s bedroom last
night and was troubled by the sight of it now. She sat up and looked around for
other things that were different: new leopard print sheets and linens on the
bed, an unusual abstract painting on the wall, and even the old lamps were
replaced by new, and quite stylish, lamps, with purple sheer cloths thrown over
the shades. The whole décor of the room was different. The whole feel of the
room was different, but not man different, woman different. A woman decorated this room she thought.

The shower, which was running down the hall, had stopped.
She lay back down and covered her naked self with the sheet, pretending to be
still sleeping.

“Get up, Lazy Bones, time to start the day.” Randall pulled
the sheet away and caressed her body. She felt the tingle of his fingers as
they found their way up her thigh, hip, and side. She turned to him and they
kissed good morning. “Come on, you better get going or you’ll be late.”

“It’s a holiday, remember?” Her eyes pleaded with him to get
back into bed.

“It’s inventory day, Denise.”

“Shit! Oh, I forgot!” She jumped up and began gathering up
her clothes from the floor. In minutes, she was kissing Randall goodbye and was
out the door. Even though today was the Civic Day holiday, she and the girls
had agreed to go in to do inventory.

She pressed the Parking button once inside the elevator and
searched her purse for her phone. The doors were just about to close when she
stuck her arms between them and rushed back to Randall’s unit to find her
phone. The front door was unlocked so she walked in and headed for the bedroom,
certain that it would be on the floor somewhere. Just as she was about to walk
in, she stopped. Eli was on the phone.

“I had a great time, too. When can I see you again?”

Silence for a moment.

“I have to work late tomorrow night. How about we have dinner
on Wednesday?”

Silence again.

“Okay. See you Wednesday night at Tu Casa around eight.”

Eli got up off the bed.

“I love you, too.”

He turned and saw Denise by the door.

“Sorry, I forgot my phone.” Her voice was shaky. “Check
under the bed for me, I’ll check the under the dresser.”

“Here it is, Babe.” He came to her with the phone and
noticed that she was flushed. “Are you all right?”

“Yah, I’m just out of breath. I’ll call you later.” She grabbed
the phone and ran out the door.

He stood there, in his Calvin Klein’s and wondered if she
had heard him on the phone. Naw, he
thought, and continued with his daily routine.

Denise got to her car and was on the way back to Brampton.
She had plenty of time to get back to her place and shower before starting work
at the flower shop. Her head was spinning: Who
was he talking to on the phone? Is he seeing someone else? Why am I being so
paranoid?

She shook off the doubt, but by the time she got to the
flower shop her feelings got the best of her, and Jessie and Rose knew
something was wrong the moment she walked in.

“What’s wrong? What is it?” Rose inquired from behind the
rolls of wrapping paper.

Denise blew her breath out, making the sound of a horse. She
went to the back room and hung her purse in the closet. Jessie and Rose just
looked on as she put a cup of water in the Keurig and placed a K-cup in the
machine. She plopped in the chair behind her desk and scratched her head.

“I just don’t understand men,” she said.

“It’s Randall? Did you guys have another argument?” Jessie
said.

“No, not exactly,” she said and went on to tell them about
the telephone conversation that she had overheard.

“Maybe it was family,” Rose said, trying to be positive.
“His sister. Or his mother.”

“Yah, you’re probably right, Rose, but I just can’t seem to
shake this feeling that he is hiding something.” She got up and dressed her
coffee with cream and sweetener and sat back down. The taste of the hot coffee
settled her nerves. “Maybe I am just overreacting. It’s just since that whole
orgy incident I feel like there’s something not right.”

“I thought you were over that?” Jessie looked puzzled.
“Perhaps it’s just residue from your old relationship, y’know? It took me a
while to trust Eli, and I don’t think I’ll ever trust any man one hundred percent,
I think that just goes with the territory. Ask any woman and I’m sure she’ll
tell you the same thing.”

“Yah, we talked about that night and he did ask me to be
exclusive, but I haven’t even met his parents and I probably wouldn’t have met
his sister if he hadn’t been in the hospital with that crazy spider bite. I
dunno. I just feel like he’s not being totally honest with me.” She ran her
fingers through her hair, scratching her scalp.

Rose rubbed the site of the spider bite and spoke up, “I hate
spiders.”

“Oh, sorry, Rose, I didn’t mean to bring that up.” Denise
said.

“No, it’s okay, I’m glad the scar has finally healed.
Denise, didn’t you say they were going to a restaurant?”

“Yah, some restaurant called Tu Casa, at least I think it’s
a restaurant.”

Jessie was closest to the laptop and Googled Tu Casa. It was
an upscale restaurant in Mississauga. She made reservations for herself and Eli
at eight on Wednesday.

“There, no worries, Denise, I’ve got it under control.” Denise
felt guilty, but a little relieved. New relationships were so hard.

After inventory was done, the girls closed up shop and went
for a late lunch at Swiss Chalet. Each took turns talking about the highs and
lows of their relationships. Rose and Denise were still getting over the fact
that Eli had come back and was now courting Jessie, and Denise and Jessie were
still shocked that Rose had not consummated her relationship with Alex.

“How long’s it been, Rose?” Jessie said.

“Almost six months.” Rose was proud of her abstinence.

“Rose, how do you string a guy on for that long? If it were
me, I’d have been sent to the curb by now.” Jessie said, munching her Caesar
salad.

“Oh, we’ve had oral sex and we’ve done a lot of petting, and
let me tell you, it’s been hot and heavy.”

Jessie and Denise put down their forks. Rose seemed on the
verge of telling some great secret.

“He’s asked me to go on a trip with him. Just up north, near
Wasaga Beach. His parents own a cottage there.”

“And, and what did you tell him?” Denise said impatiently.

“I said yes…to everything.” Rose was ecstatic. She cupped
her cheeks and rolled her eyes and smiled bigger than Julia Roberts ever could.

Their squeals of laughter and exhilaration were heard all
over the restaurant. Rose was finally gonna get laid!

When lunch was over, Denise felt better about her situation,
but when Wednesday evening came, she was back to being a bundle of nerves. Rose’s
shift ended at seven, but she stayed on with Denise for moral support. And she
also wanted to know what Jessie was going to find out.

It was now almost nine and Jessie hadn’t called.

At the restaurant, Eli and Jessie were finishing up wonderful
gourmet meals.

“This lobster bisque is delicious.” Jessie said. “How’s the
beef?”

“Tender. And the veggies taste awesome, and I don’t even
like veggies that much.” He chuckled.

“Great wine choice, Eli. Do you know about wines?”

“A little. My father had a small cellar back home.”

Jessie looked around. There was no sign of Randall. She
wanted to text Denise, but thought it rude to do so during dinner. She decided
she would excuse herself once she ordered from the dessert menu and take a
quick trip to the ladies room to call.

Denise answered anxiously. “Where are you? Are you at the
restaurant? Who is he with?”

“Hold on, Denise, he never showed.”

“He’s not there?”

“No, he never showed, and we’ve been here since 7:30.”
Jessie sensed the disappointment in her voice.

“Okay, goodnight.” Jessie felt bad that it didn’t go as planned. She went back
to Eli and finished her meal. Eli did not know anything.

Denise and Rose locked up and went home.

“Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do?” Rose said.

“No, it’s okay, thanks for staying. You’re a good friend.”

They blew air kisses and went on their way. Denise did not
go home. Instead, she decided to face Randall and ask him just what was going
on. A half hour later she was on The Collegeway, facing The Palace Condominium.
She parked the car and the need for a cigarette boiled up. Ignoring it, she
walked up the front stairs and headed for the elevator. The sound of Randall’s
laughter echoed through the lobby. She followed the sound and found him in deep
conversation with another woman. They were discussing the print on the wall.
The woman had a stiff posture with a fine pair of legs and warm blond hair.
Randall was dressed in one of his Harry Rosen suits. The two seemed very
comfortable with each other. When Randall put his arm around the woman, Denise
spoke up from behind him.

“I thought that was you.” She caught him red-handed.

Randall turned around surprised to see her. “Denise, what
are you doing here?” He grabbed her and hugged her.

She was brimming and ready to tell him off for his cheating,
but confused that he was genuinely glad to see her.

“I had to go to Sheridan to pick up an order.” It wasn’t the
truth, but it could have been true. She eyed the other woman, seeing the fine
lines around the eyes and mouth.

“Mom, this is Denise, the girl I was telling you about.
Denise, this is my mother, Angela.”

Denise’s face turned red with shame, then relaxed with
relief, and in her sweetest voice and most respectful manner, she whipped out a hand. “It’s very nice to meet you.”